Instruments, gear stolen from Scottish fiddle player visiting Portland; Reward offered
PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - A touring Scottish fiddle player had a final stop in Portland. However, when he and his musical partner stopped for breakfast Monday, their equipment and personal items were stolen.
Alisdair Fraser, who has been playing the violin his whole life, said it happened while he and his partner, Natalie Haas, were gone for a couple of hours before returning to their vehicle in a parking garage at Southwest 10th Avenue and Southwest Taylor Street.
“To our great shock, the windows were bashed in and all of our belongings were taken out,” Fraser said.
He called Portland one of his favorite places to visit and said he and Haas were devastated to find their car with broken windows and admitted to “feeling a bit foolish and unlucky. Rarely do I leave my violin in a car, but I did this time.”
Fraser explained that losing an instrument goes beyond a financial hit, as he said that he has developed a special bond with his.
“These are old friends,” Fraser said. “They’re not easily replaced. Musicians, you fall in love with an instrument.”
Fraser said Haas also had her personal belongings in the car, which were stolen along with her cello.
In a stroke of luck, Fraser explained someone had apparently bought the stolen cello off the alleged thief on the street an hour after it was stolen. The man who bought it shared that he got it for only $40.
When he saw a phone number on the instrument, he called and returned it to Haas.
“We just love this guy,” Fraser smiled. “What a thing.”
Fraser hopes the same may happen for his violin and four bows he plays it with.
“You try many, many bows throughout your life,” he said. “You find one that you like and you hang onto it. So, it breaks my heart.”
Fraser said once the shock from the initial theft settled, he found he didn’t have the heart to leave his violin behind. He has stayed for an extra couple of days and started setting up flyers around town.
“People hate it when people take musical instruments because it’s the universal language.”
Fraser said when he shares the story with people, many aren’t surprised and that doesn’t sit right with him.
“It’s just sad that this is how it is Portland right now,” he said.
Fraser hopes the community might be able to help him get his violin and bows back into his possession.
He is offering a reward for the safe return of his items.
List of items taken:
- American Case Company Continental Double Violin Case
- Violin Bow by André Ricaume à Paris
- Violin bow, maker unknown, French, 19th C, rose gold fittings
- Violin bow, David Forbes, Miami
- Viola Bow
- Jay Haide Violin À l’ancienne European wood
- Leatherwood Bespoke Rosin softer
- Leatherwood Bespoke Rosin harder
- AKG WMS4500 PT 4500 Transmitter, SR 4500 Receiver
- DPA 4099 Microphone with Violin mount
- Microdot -Mini XLR Connector
- Microdot - XLR Connector
- Mic-equipped shoulder bag
- Cables XLR adapter
- Cables 1/4 INCH TO 1/4 INCH
- Wittner Shoulder Rest
- Evah Pirazzi Gold 3 sets @ $165
- Evah Pirazzi 2 sets @ $111
- Gold Brokat E strings 5 @ $3
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